The New York Mets swooped in to sign Carlos Correa after the San Francisco Giants backed out of their original contract with the All-Star shortstop due to medical concerns. Days later, New York is holding off on making its move official over the same worries.
San Francisco first signed Correa to a 13-year, $350 million contract to make him one of the highest-paid MLB players in 2023. Moments before his introductory press conference, the Giants expressed concerns over an issue found during his physical.
Correa’s agent Scott Boras indicated the Giants wanted time to speak with other doctors to gain a more definitive ruling regarding their specific concerns. When that was taken off the table and the Giants reportedly backed out on the tentative agreement, Correa signed a $315 million contract with the Mets. When the news broke, owner Steve Cohen commented as if the move was a foregone conclusion.
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Once again, Correa’s introductory press conference was put on hold because of medical concerns. New York came away with the same worries as San Francisco, specifically a right ankle injury he suffered while playing years ago in the minor leagues.
- Carlos Correa stats (2022): .291/.366/.467, 140 wRC+, 4.4 fWAR, 22 home runs in 136 games
As a result, the Mets held off on certifying the agreement as they seek further information and explore ways to protect themselves from the 12-year contract backfiring on them down the line.
However, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post, Correa isn’t interested in restructuring the deal. While he strongly prefers to play for the Mets over any other club, he and Boras believe his track record of playing speaks for itself and there is no reason to alter the contract both sides agreed to over an injury that happened years ago
Will Carlos Correa sign with the Mets?
Unlike what transpired with San Francisco, the Mets and Correa are still talking. Jesse Rogers of ESPN previously reported that New York is ‘working through’ the medical issues and a deal is still likely to be done.
However, it might not be as much of a certainty as originally believed. According to the New York Post, there is optimism for a deal but the odds of it all coming together are estimated at 55%. More troubling for New York is the fact that three MLB teams have already reached out with interest in re-engaging Correa in negotiations.
Considering how publicly Cohen went after news of Correa’s signing broke and his overwhelming desire to win a World Series, it would still be a surprise if a deal isn’t finalized. However, the past two weeks have made it clear that this is a delicate situation.
New York could feel confident about its chances to resolve the disagreement with Correa and Boras. If those talks drag on for too long or the Mets try and take too much money off the table, though, it’s reasonable to think the All-Star slugger who can be a face of a franchise explores opportunities elsewhere.